Society and Book Culture: Unique collection “Free Russian Press” put on display at the National Library of Russia

The National Library of Russia (Korf Hall) in St. Petersburg presents the exhibition “Free Press: Tsarist Censorship versus Book”.

The exhibition spotlights a unique collection “Free Russian Press” housed in the National Library of Russia, which contains banned and illegal publications that were printed both in the Russian Empire and abroad between 1853 and 1917. It includes various books, leaflets, newspapers and magazines on religion, science and history.

The exhibition features first publications dating from 1853 related to the activities of the Free Russian Press – a printing company founded by Alexander Herzen in London.